A massive fire that broke out on the surface of the Gulf of Mexico on Friday is raising questions about the safety of underwater pipelines.
The fire took place after a gas leak was reported near a platform in the Bay of Campeche used for offshore drilling by Mexico’s state-owned oil company, PEMEX.
It was called the “eye of fire” on social media as videos of the fire surrounded by ocean waves went viral.
The head of the Mexican agency in charge of regulating pipeline safety said the incident "did not generate any spill "in a tweet, something environmentalists are skeptical of.
The company said no one was injured and that it would “cary out a root cause analysis of the incident" but provided few details about the incident.
Environmental groups say the "eye of fire" scene shows how dangerous offshore drilling is. The Center For Biological Diversity is calling for a moratorium on new oil leases in the Gulf of Mexico.
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